<p> SOUTH CAMBRIDGESHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL</p><p>Minutes of the Cabinet and Parish Councils Liaison Meeting held on Tuesday, 1 October 2013 at 6:45pm</p><p>Councillors: Tim WotherspoonPippa Corne Simon Edwards y Mark Howell Ray Manning Mick Martin David Whiteman-Downes Nick Wright</p><p>Officers: Tim WotherspoonPatrick Senior Democratic Services Officer Adams Gemma Barron Partnerships Manager & Interim Sustainable Communities Team Leader Jane Green Head of New Communities Mike Hill Health and Environmental Services Director Jean Hunter Chief Executive</p><p>Parish Reps: Nigel Ball (Bourn) Graham Borgonon (Meldreth) (43 Present) Tony Broscomb (Shudy Vivien Bruce (Bourn) Camps) Andrew Cook (Willingham) Barbara Cooper (Longstowe) Karen Easey (Eversdens) Chrissie Farrugia (Croxton) Jocelyn Flitton (Ickleton) Dave Hill (Caldecote) Bridget Hodge (Gt Shelford) Keith Howard (Caxton) Martin Johnston (Swavesey) Pauline Joslin (Hardwick) Jean Kelly (Hildersham) Nigel Oakley (Foxton) Colin Parsons (Swavesey) Denis Payne (Histon & Impington) Andy Pellew (Bar Hill) Mike Perkins (Milton) Andrew Pulham (Orwell) Kim Quince (Harlton) Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp Terry Sadler (Ickleton) (Barrington) Allen Scott (Weston Colville) Alan Slater (Willingham) Tony Smith (Gt Shelford) Robert Stone (Dry Drayton) Ian Storr (Hardwick) Bernie Talbot (Gt Abington) Wayne Talbot (Orwell) Chris Tebbit (Lt Wilbraham & Six Mile Bottom) John Torode (Lt Wilbraham & Maureen Townsend (Melbourn) Six Mile Bottom) Ian Tyes (Milton) Bunty Waters (Bar Hill) Ian Whitby (Fen Drayton) Virginia Wood (Orchard Park) Lawrence Wragg (Fowlmere)</p><p>Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Tim Wotherspoon.</p><p>1. INTRODUCTION</p><p>Councillor Ray Manning welcomed the parish councils to the meeting and the Cabinet members and officers introduced themselves. It was noted that Tim Wotherspoon had given his apologies as he was attending a meeting of Cottenham Parish Council.</p><p>2. PARISH PRECEPT</p><p>Council Tax Support Scheme Councillor Simon Edwards explained that due to changes in the Council Tax Support Scheme the Council Tax base for each parish had reduced and that the Government’s transition funding, which had been passed on to parish councils for 2013/14, would not Cabinet and Parish Councils Liaison Meeting 2 Tuesday, 1 October 2013</p><p> be paid to parish councils for 2014/15. It was hoped that making this announcement now would give parish councils enough time to plan any adjustments to their precepts.</p><p>It was noted that the amount of Council Tax Support Scheme funding varied greatly from parish to parish, as it depended on how many parishioners were receiving Council Tax support.</p><p>Setting the parish precept Parish councils were requested to set their parish precepts in time for the Council to set its budget at the February meeting. Outside the meeting the deadline was confirmed as being 4 February.</p><p>No capping of parish precept It was noted that the Government did not appear to have any immediate plans to start capping parish councils.</p><p>3. HOUSING DELIVERY</p><p>Building more council houses Councillor Mark Howell, Housing Portfolio Holder, explained that the Council had taken on £205.50 million in debt from the Government, in return for being able to keep all the rent from tenants. After the Government had refused to rule out the possibility of burdening local authorities with further debt, the Council had taken the decision to only pay the interest on the loan in order to fund a programme of council house building. Councillor Howell appealed to parish councils to inform Schuyler Newstead, Head of Housing Strategy and Development of land in their parishes suitable for council housing. The construction of council housing on land that was currently privately owned was not ruled out. </p><p>Selling properties to build more in the same area Councillor Howell stated that the Council needed to be more business minded in its approach to delivering affordable housing. However, he explained that if a council owned property was sold the proceeds would be invested in delivering affordable housing in the same area.</p><p>Travellers’ sites Councillor Howell stated that the Council had agreed to purchase a Travellers’ site at Chesterton Road and take ownership of the sites at Blackwell, Milton and at Whaddon, both of which the authority had run on behalf of the County Council for many years. Councillor Howell invited parish councils to inform the Council if they were aware of any pieces of land that could potentially be turned into Travellers’ sites. </p><p>Sheltered housing It was hoped that more Sheltered Housing could be delivered in the District, although Council Howell explained that the Council had no plans to build any new schemes.</p><p>Housing stock and under occupancy It was recognised that the Council had 1,076 one bedroom properties, 2,300 two bedroom properties, 1,964 three bedroom properties and 78 properties of four bedrooms or more. It was noted that there were 304 property owners who were being charged for being under occupied, the so called “bedroom tax”, and this increased the demand for 1- 2 bedroom properties.</p><p>Flexible tenancy agreements Cabinet and Parish Councils Liaison Meeting 3 Tuesday, 1 October 2013</p><p>Councillor Howell explained that whilst the new flexible tenancy agreements meant that the tenants no longer had lifetime agreements, the onus was on the Council to be able to justify not extending a tenancy agreement. This would help to address the problem of long-term bad tenants.</p><p>Homelessness Councillor Howell stated that it was the policy of the Council to avoid putting families in Bed and Breakfast accommodation. It was noted that a hostel for homeless was being built at Robson Court in Waterbeach.</p><p>4. ENFORCEMENT (ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH)</p><p>Councillor Mick Martin, Environmental Services Portfolio Holder, explained that the Council was combining eight different policies into a single policy on enforcement. It was hoped that this policy would be in force by Christmas. The aim was to ensure that the Council could address all of a resident’s enforcement issues at the first point of enquiry. Whilst the Council would always try to resolve a problem through advice, there were a set of proscribed circumstances, such as a risk to life or health of residents, which would lead to enforcement without discussion.</p><p>In response to questioning Councillor Martin stated that he did not have specific knowledge of the enforcement case at the Rose and Crown or the multi-occupancy issue at Orchard Park, but was happy to respond to enquiries about these matters outside the meeting.</p><p>A number of matters were raised relating to planning enforcement and have been minuted below.</p><p>5. OPEN FORUM</p><p>The representatives were invited to raise any matters of importance.</p><p>Payments from developers to pay for community facilities In response to questioning, Councillor Ray Manning explained that a Section 106 Agreement was a legal document and so was legally enforceable. The Section 106 Agreement formed part of the planning conditions that were agreed when the planning application was approved.</p><p>It was noted that the Government had decided to replace the Section 106 agreement with a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) which would charge a developer for each square metre of development. It was noted that unlike the Section 106 Agreement, under the CIL affordable housing was exempt. In response to suggestions that the Council had set the cost of £100 per square metre too low, Councillor Manning stated that charge was more than the level that had been set by Huntingdonshire District Council (£85), but less than Cambridge City Council (£125). It had been agreed that the authority should have one charge for the entire District, as it could prove divisive, confusing and difficult to administrate different charges for different parishes. The Council had decided to delay implementing the CIL, as it currently did well under the Section 106 Agreement and by delaying a decision it could look at the examples of other authorities before proceeding. It was noted that it was unclear exactly how the new CIL scheme would compare to the Section 106 Agreements and the suggested charge of £100 per square metre could be amended in the future.</p><p>It was noted that 15% of the CIL charge would be passed to parish councils, rising to 25% where a Neighbourhood Development Plan is in place, although more could be Cabinet and Parish Councils Liaison Meeting 4 Tuesday, 1 October 2013</p><p> asked for to fund specific projects.</p><p>Police Community Support Officers It was noted that the appointment of Police Community Support Officers was determined by the Cambridgeshire Constabulary & The Police & Crime Commissioner. However, Councillor Mick Martin assured the meeting that the Chief Constable had spoken to the Council about the plan to increase the number of officers on patrol through improvements in ICT which meant fewer trips to Head Quarters to complete the necessary paperwork. The Council was not aware of any plans to reduce the number of Police Community Support Officers.</p><p>Improvements to the A14 In response to questioning Councillor Ray Manning explained that the Highway’s Agency were consulting on their plans for the A14 with other local authorities in the area and the Council’s Cabinet were due to discuss this matter on Friday 4 October. Councillor Manning informed the meeting that he had been on an A14 steering group, which comprised of representatives from the Government, the Highways Agency and the affected local authorities. The Treasury had concluded that if improvements to the A14 were to take place three funding streams were required:  Funding from the Government  Funding from the Local Authorities  Funding from a toll, paid by users of the road.</p><p>Whilst it was noted that the District Council had agreed to pay £5 million over 25 years (Hunts District Council paying £5 million, East Cambs District Council £1 million and Fenland District Council £800,000) concern was expressed over the fact that the City Council had not agreed to pay anything and the consequences this could have for the project.</p><p>Councillor Simon Edwards agreed that the tolling of local road users was wrong and he would propose at Cabinet that local residents be exempt from the A14 toll.</p><p>Councillor Manning agreed with the representative from Linton Parish Council that improvements to the A14 and a link to the A120 would relieve pressure on the A1307.</p><p>It was suggested that what the A14 required was improvement to junctions and longer slip roads.</p><p>6. DATE OF NEXT MEETING</p><p>It was noted that the next meeting would be held at 6:45pm on 12 March 2014. Councillor Ray Manning thanked all representatives for their attendance.</p><p>The Meeting ended at 8.15 p.m.</p>